Pharmacy Technician Career Paths and COVID-19

In this episode of OnScript with NHA, co-hosts Jessica Langley-Loep and Jeremy Sasser are joined by Susan Bonilla, the newly-appointed CEO of the California Pharmacists Association (CPhA). Starting her professional career as a high school English teacher, Susan eventually began serving the public through elected positions starting with city council and eventually being elected to the California state assembly. Susan chaired committees that oversaw the pharmacist advanced practice bill as well as the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Combining her love of education and public service make leading CPhA a great fit for Susan.

Throughout this episode, Susan discusses a few initiatives CPhA is undertaking in 2020, as well as discussing how COVID-19 has changed the healthcare landscape in CA, and what CPhA is doing to advocate for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and their continued safety during this pandemic. The collaboration between NHA and CPhA is also highlighted and how both organizations are working to advance the practice of pharmacy technicians and advocate for more involvement and engagement between pharmacy technicians and CPhA, with a goal of more technicians taking advantage of CPhA-provided leadership training. Finally, while COVID-19 has not allowed for any travel since becoming CEO, Susan is looking forward to being able to travel around the state and have the opportunity to meet pharmacy techs across the state and find what CPhA can do to better serve them.

Click here to read the full transcript.